Substrate Tuning System and Method Using Optical Projection

ABSTRACT

Techniques herein include systems and methods that provide a spatially-controlled or pixel-based projection of light onto a substrate to tune various substrate properties. A given pixel-based image projected on to a substrate surface can be based on a substrate signature. The substrate signature can spatially represent non-uniformities across the surface of the substrate. Such non-uniformities can include energy, heat, critical dimensions, photolithographic exposure dosages, etc. Such pixel-based light projection can be used to tune various properties of substrates, including tuning of critical dimensions, heating uniformity, evaporative cooling, and generation of photo-sensitive agents. Combining such pixel-based light projection with photolithographic patterning processes and/or heating processes improves processing uniformity and decreases defectivity. Embodiments can include using a digital light processing (DLP) chip, grating light valve (GLV), or other grid-based micro projection technology.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/909,714, filed on Nov. 27, 2013, entitled “OpticalProjection Tuned Hot Plate,” which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. The present application also claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/932,005, filed on Jan. 27, 2014,entitled “System and Method for Shifting Critical Dimensions ofPatterned Films,” which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to patterning of substrates includingsemiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers. This disclosure alsorelates to processes involved with photolithography including coatingand developing films on substrates as part of semiconductor devicefabrication. This disclosure particularly relates to controllingdimensions and accuracy of patterned features as part ofphotolithography and patterning processes.

Photolithography involves coating substrates with films that aresensitive to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, exposing these films to apattern of a EM radiation to define a latent pattern within the film,and then developing away some of the film to reveal a physical or reliefpattern on the substrate. Preparation and development of such films caninclude thermal treatment or baking. For example, a newly applied filmcan require a post-application bake (PAB) to evaporate solvents and/orto increase structural rigidity or etch resistance. Also, apost-exposure bake (PEB) can be executed to set a given pattern toprevent further dissolving. Fabrication tools for coating and developingsubstrate typically include many modules that can be used to add film,add resist, and develop a substrate.

SUMMARY

Semiconductor fabrication processes often specify precise temperaturetolerances for systems used to heat treated substrates. Such systems aretypically constructed as a hotplate within a processing chamber. Typicalhotplates can include one or more heating elements or zones to uniformlyheat a substrate positioned thereon. Such hotplates and conventionalsystems can heat substrates to a temperature uniformity within about 0.1degrees Celsius across a surface of the substrate. For example aspecific temperature can be maintained within 0.1 degrees Celsius tostrengthen a resist structure prior to etching. Unfortunately, having atolerance or temperature fluctuation of 0.1° C. can be insufficient toprevent defects in semiconductor fabrication processes. As semiconductordevices continue to scale down to smaller sizes, preventing defectsbecomes increasingly more important.

Techniques disclosed herein, however, can provide temperature uniformityto within about 0.02 degrees Celsius. Such an increase in temperatureuniformity reduces defectivity and enables continued scaling ofsemiconductor devices.

Techniques herein include systems and methods that provide aspatially-controlled projection of light or electromagnetic (EM)radiation onto a substrate. Combining such spatial light projection withhot plate heating can achieve significant improvements in temperatureuniformity across a surface of a substrate. A wavelength of 400-700 nmlight, Ultra Violet Light (UV), infrared light, or any wavelengthdirected at an object can produce heat on the impact site of projectedlight. As total energy increases at a specific point on a substrate, atemperature of that point will increase until it reaches a steady statevalue. The steady state temperature on a substrate can be varied andcontrolled using different intensities and wavelengths within the rangeof a light source, such as a lamp. A given projected image can comprisemultiple intensities and various wavelengths, which can be set to changeand maintain many different steady state conditions on multiplesubstrates simultaneously. In other words, a substrate holder heatsource in combination with a projected light image of a particularspatial heat signature can increase temperature uniformity across thesurface of a substrate.

In one embodiment a camera/detector and a projector are directed at asubstrate. The projector illuminates the substrate with light (at leasta portion is illuminated), which can be based on a heat signaturedetected from an infrared detecting camera. The substrate can then havea modulated temperature with high spatial resolution with any number oflight patterns and intensities. With the camera (or sensory array/sensormechanism) detecting a heat signature, a corresponding pixelated imagecan be projected onto a substrate surface to modify surface temperature.Thus, a heat signature can be controlled by pixel, that is, controlledby spot or grid point location on the substrate surface. The projectedimage can be tailored to specific results desired. For example, iftemperature uniformity is desired, then the projected image can be aninverse of the heat signature to essentially heat cold areas and/or coolor maintain warm areas. Thus, a combination of fine and coarse controlfor a hotplate can provide significantly better uniformity. Becauselight is heat, areas that need spatial temperature adjustment can beirradiated with an amount of light. Because light can alter materialproperties of certain materials (such as photoresists), existingexposures can be augmented to be biases up or down. Thus, an additionalembodiment includes tuning film properties using a pixel-based projectedlight pattern.

Such systems and methods enable semiconductor manufacturers to meetdesign demands. Design specifications for semiconductor manufacturinglimit the process of developing and producing semiconductors by forcinga set of parameters onto the engineer that current technology cannotavoid. One of these design specifications is related to the baking stepof semiconductor production. When a substrate is baked it is bakeduniformly at a particular temperature and for an amount of time. Beingable to replace the constant of uniform temperature with variabletemperature gives a process controller more flexibility and increasesefficiency of semiconductor production.

Note that this disclosure is not limited to thermal processing inphotolithography. This disclosure also addresses techniques forspatially altering substrate temperature and can be applicable to vacuumand non-vacuum processing systems in semiconductor, flat panel display,and photovoltaic systems including deposition systems, etching systems(wet and dry). For example, pixel-based projected light patterns cancorrect critical dimensions, lithographic exposure non-uniformities,stepper exposure lag time, and so forth.

Of course, the order of discussion of the different steps as describedherein has been presented for clarity sake. In general, these steps canbe performed in any suitable order. Additionally, although each of thedifferent features, techniques, configurations, etc. herein may bediscussed in different places of this disclosure, it is intended thateach of the concepts can be executed independently of each other or incombination with each other. Accordingly, the present invention can beembodied and viewed in many different ways.

Note that this summary section does not specify every embodiment and/orincrementally novel aspect of the present disclosure or claimedinvention. Instead, this summary only provides a preliminary discussionof different embodiments and corresponding points of novelty overconventional techniques. For additional details and/or possibleperspectives of the invention and embodiments, the reader is directed tothe Detailed Description section and corresponding figures of thepresent disclosure as further discussed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of various embodiments of the invention andmany of the attendant advantages thereof will become readily apparentwith reference to the following detailed description considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed uponillustrating the features, principles and concepts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of an example imageprojection system for tuning a substrate.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an example image projection systemfor tuning a substrate.

FIG. 3 is an illustration representing an example substrate signature ofa property that varies spatially.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of an example image projection systemfor tuning a substrate.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example simplified heat signature across asubstrate cross section.

FIG. 6 is a diagram representing a projection image compensating for agiven heat signature.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example simplified heat signature across asubstrate cross section.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating grey scale and frequency outputsavailable for tuning a substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Techniques herein include systems and methods that provide aspatially-controlled or pixel-based projection of light onto a substrateto tune various substrate properties. Such pixel-based light projectioncan be used to tune various properties of substrates, including tuningof critical dimensions, heating uniformity, evaporative cooling,photolithographic flare, raster delay, and generation of photo-sensitiveagents. Combining such pixel-based light projection with contact-basedheating (for example, a hotplate) can achieve significant improvementsin temperature uniformity across a surface of a substrate. Combiningsuch pixel-based light projection with photolithographic patterningprocesses can improve processing uniformity and decrease defectivity.

In one embodiment, a digital light processing (DLP) chip, grating lightvalve (GLV), or other grid-based micro projection technology, coupledwith a light source can focus an image (optionally using a lens) onto asubstrate and correct or adjust temperature and other non-uniformities.The projected image can be changed to vary the temperature output of thefocused image. For example a solid white image with a visible spectrumbulb projected onto the plate will heat the plate to a given maximumtemperature for that particular bulb. A temperature per projected pixelcan be adjusted by using all, none, or some of the wavelengths of lightproduced by that light source. Such a technique gives extremely precisecontrol over a given baking process of semiconductors, sufficient tobake semiconductors to within 1 nm. A DLP chip can project an image ontoa substrate and change the amount of heat at any specific point orpoints on the substrate. Note that adjusting spatial temperaturenon-uniformity can function for either heating or cooling a substrate.For example, if a substrate is being cooled, a projected light image canassist with uniform cooling by slightly warming spots that are coolingtoo rapidly in comparison to other spots on a substrate being cooled.

Conventional bake plates can only maintain accuracy to 0.1 degreesCelsius, which can be due in part to the critical dimensions of thesubstrate. Typical hotplates can have heating zones but the size ofthese zones is several orders of magnitude larger than an area on asubstrate that needs temperature adjustment. Thus, conventionally, heatneeded on each individual area cannot be adjusted to desiredspecifications. A projected image as disclosed herein, however, can varyheat output to every individual atom depending on a number of pixelssupported by a selected DLP and the incident area. That is, heat controlavailable from using micro-mirror projection can be as flexible orfine-tuned as a its maximum projected resolution. In one embodiment, apixel-based light projection system is connected to a control computerof a baking device, exposure chamber, dispense chamber, hotplate, etc.The pixel-based light projection system can be focused through a lenssystem into an exposure chamber where a substrate is aligned. Lightprojected onto or at the substrate then heats or adjusts desired areasof the substrate to a desired temperature. There are several uses ofsuch a method and system. One application is to maintain temperatureuniformity. Another application is to reduce the critical dimensionsrequirement of the baking process of semiconductor manufacturing.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of an optical projection tunedhot plate. Processing chamber 108 can be sized for receiving asubstrate, such as a silicon wafer, flat panel, etc. Processing chamber108 can be a relatively minimum size (based on a size of the substrate)for maximum heat retention and for protection from hazardous lightwavelengths. A substrate alignment system 107 can be used to align animage onto a workable area on the substrate, which can be within 0.1nanometers. Substrate 105 can be positioned on a substrate holder and/orhotplate. Substrate 105 can be a conventional reflective ornon-reflective silicon disk with any type of coating.

The system includes light source 102 that can be located within,adjacent to, or remote from the processing chamber 108. Light source 102can be any of several light sources such as visible light source,infrared light source, UV light source, or bulbs producing otherwavelengths of light. Light source characteristics can be tailored to(or selected for) a particular substrate being treated and a particulartuning application. For some substrates, a 60 Watt (or equivalent)source may be sufficient, with a wavelength range of 400-700 nm, and aDLP resolution of 1080p (1080 horizontal lines of vertical resolutionand progressive scan). Other applications may require higher power andhigher resolution. The light source can be selected based on particularwavelength(s) desired. For example an ultraviolet light source can beselected for certain applications, while a white or infrared source canbe selected for other applications. Light source selection can be basedon the absorption characteristics of a particular substrate and/or film.Any resolution can be used that is supported by DLP, GLV, or other lightvalve technologies.

Light projection device 103 can be embodied as a DLP chip, Grating lightvalve (GLV) or other light valve technology. DLP chips and GLVs areconventionally available. Lens system 104 can be used to produce animage, with minimal aberrations, the size of the substrate 105 asprojected onto the substrate 105. Projection lines 106 represent animage field or video being projected toward substrate 105. This video orimage can be designed based on expected heat output and or dynamicfeedback from a spatial temperature sensor, such as an infrared camera.A given image can be input from a video processor to a DLP. Items 101show example locations on substrate 105 (being heated) that havetemperatures different from other portions of the substrate. Projectedimage 109 projects light in the shape of one of items 101. If item 101happens to be at a lower temperature than the remaining surface area ofthe substrate 105, then projected image 109 can increase local surfacetemperature to make a uniform temperature across the entire substrate105.

Such a system herein thus combines a fine and coarse control system forhotplate temperature control—the hotplate corresponding to(comparatively) coarse control and the light projection systemcorresponding to (comparatively) fine control. Conventional temperaturecontrol is thus augmented with location-based high-resolution capabilityfrom a DLP control loop. Heat energy is transferred to the hotplatesurface by projecting light on the substrate surface. Every locationthat a projected pixel can be turned on or off thus becomes an area thatcan have fine tuning for heat, temperature, CD correction, and photoreactivity.

For example, embodiments wherein image projection is used to create auniform temperature, a heat signature of a chuck (substrate holder)and/or substrate can be identified for more accurate correction. Anexpected value of a substrate at equilibrium should be 0.00X° C. atevery point on the substrate. Any deviation from 0.00X° C. is then acurrent heat signature of the substrate. When a substrate is placed on ahot plate, the hot plate is not uniform at 0.00X° C. and creates adeviation from the desired equilibrium creating the heat signature.Conventional hotplates can create a substrate surface temperature thathas a 0.1 degree Celsius spatial deviation.

Techniques herein, when applied to substrate heating applications, canincrease temperature uniformity. Heat output from a given projectedimage depends on its intensity, pattern, and/or color. For example, apoint location with no light projection will have 0% heat increase, aspace receiving a grey light can have a 50% relative heat increase,while areas with full light projection result in 100% increase ofpossible heat available.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating a simplified example heat signature for agiven substrate. This can be a heat signature across a cross-section ofa substrate. In this example heat signature, there are 19 pointlocations for measuring relative heat. The top of this graph representsrelatively colder temperatures, which temperatures increase moving downin the graph such that the bottom of the graph indicates relativelywarmer temperatures. For example, point location 1 is a relatively hotspot, while point location 2 is relatively cold, with points 3 and 4being moderately warm. Note that there is a temperature variation acrossthe substrate, which variation of temperature by planar location is oneembodiment of a heat signature.

FIG. 6 is a diagram representing a projected image to correct heatvariation from the heat signature represented in FIG. 5. In other words,the projected image compensates for the heat signature with temperaturefluctuations. For example, note that points 1, 9, 10, 17, and 18 fromthe heat signature in FIG. 5 are relatively hot spots. Notice that theprojected image in FIG. 6 has no light projected at these locations,which causes no heat increase. Point locations 2 and 12 from the heatsignature in FIG. 5 are relatively cold, and so in the image projectionin FIG. 6, these point locations are shown as white representing fulllight exposure to cause a maximum of heat increase (maximum temperaturechange possible based on intensity of a corresponding light source).Other point locations are illustrated with varying shades of greyrepresenting moderate fluctuations in temperature are similarlycorrected with light variable light projection. FIG. 7 shows a modifiedheat signature which is a result from the projected image in FIG. 6applied to the heat signature of FIG. 5. Note that compared to the heatsignature from FIG. 5, most temperatures have been modified so thatthere is substantially less temperature variation.

The substrate signature illustrated in FIG. 5 is a simplified, linearsignature. Substrates are typically planar and thus uniformityfluctuations can vary based on planar or X, Y, location on a substrate.FIG. 3 is an illustration depicting an example critical dimensionsignature. This critical dimension signature is mapped as pointlocations on the surface of a given substrate such as a wafer used inmicrofabrication processes. Note that various points on the CD signatureillustration vary in degree of darkness or lightness. These relativedifferences at point locations on the CD signature illustrationrepresent relative differences in CD uniformity. For example, pointlocations that are completely darkened can represent areas having CDsthat are too small, whereas point locations that are completelylightened or lighter can represent areas having CDs that are too large.This CD signature can be generated based on observed and/or measureddimensions.

This substrate signature illustration in FIG. 3 can also represent whata given projection of light can look like on a substrate being treated.Variations in darkness of hatching patterns can represent lightintensity, amplitude and/or frequency. Accordingly, point locations on asubstrate surface receiving a full intensity of projected light caninclude the light or white areas in the illustration. Likewise, pointlocations with less whitespace can have a medium intensity or partialintensity of light being projected at those locations. Point locationsshown as black squares in this illustration might receive no light orrelatively little light exposure. Note that substrate signatures canvary in visual representation based on type of signature ornon-uniformity. For example, CD signatures may appear as having someperceptible lines corresponding to scribe lanes, signatures. A substratesignature showing raster delay non-uniformities can show evidence ofprogression of a given stepper/scanner across a substrate surface.Substrate signatures for heat non-uniformity may have circular patternsor show differences at heat zone interfaces.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates an example embodiment of anoptical projection tuned substrate 105. Substrate 105 can include a film115, which could be a photoresist film, as well as underlying layer 110,which may become a hardmask or other patterned layer or memorizationlayer for pattern transfer. The light projection device 103, oraccompanying controller, can receive a pixel-based image to project onsubstrate 105. Projection of this pixel-based image is shown withprojected imaged 109. Note that portions of the substrate 105 areirradiated while others are not. Instead of a mask-based lightprojection used for photolithographic exposures, a pixel-based imageprojection is used. During projection, the projected image can change orvary such as in response to real time feedback or other tuningobjectives.

A particular image or video that is projected can be based on one ormore sensors that can gather data either before a heating/treatingprocess (static adjustment) or during a heating/treating process fordynamic adjustment. In a feedback loop, a given sensor or sensor arraycan collect data (such as a heat signature) and then send this collecteddata to a controller. The controller can then compute an image toproject onto a substrate based on the collected data and/or based onwhether it is heat or light correction that is needed. Aproportional-integral-derivative controller (PID controller) can be usedto implement heat signature feedback. The image projected can changebased on any temperature oscillations across the substrate, such ascenter to edge oscillations.

Note that light intensity or amplitude can be adjusted based on a typeof material on the surface of a substrate. For example, some polymerscan have low reflectance, while other materials, such as silicon andmetals, can have maximum reflectance values. In one specific examplematerial, namely copper, reflectance can be 45% to 99%, but when lightis incident on copper, the copper surface will heat up notwithstanding.Thus, techniques herein can be applied to most substrate materials.

FIG. 2 is a side-view diagram of an example system for improvedsubstrate processing. A substrate 105 rests on a substrate holder 130,which can be embodied as, or include, a heat chuck. Various conventionaltechnologies can be used for chuck-based heating including liquidcircuits and heating zones. Above the substrate (facing a substrate sidebeing treated) a DLP projector or the like can be positioned to projectan image onto a substrate surface as part of light projection device103. The location of the projector can vary based on space availabilitywithin a given chamber. For example, many heating modules ofmicrofabrication tools are relatively short. In these embodiments,various apertures 135 and/or lens systems can be used to project animage within any limited vertical space above the substrate. Exampleheight and width measurements are shown, but these are non-limiting andjust to illustrate one particular embodiment.

Purpose-built light projection systems can be manufactured for use insuch substrate tuning or heating modules. Alternatively, conventionalDLP projectors can be used. For conventional DLP projector use, removinga color filter can increase light (heat) intensity available forprojection on each substrate location. In many light projectors, whitelight generated by a light source passes through a color filter as thewhite light travels to the surface of a DLP chip. This means that mostof the wavelengths are being absorbed before leaving the projector. Inaddition to removing any color filters, lamp intensity can also beincreased according to particular design specifications.

Other embodiments can use different wavelength lamps for lightprojection on to a single substrate. These lamps can all contribute tolight projection, or be selectively activated. Likewise, multipleprojectors per hot plate can be used. In other embodiments, lightprojection can have a frequency-based output for finer tuning, such aswith 3D graphics. In addition to an image-based light projector, athermal imaging camera 143 can be positioned in view of the substrate105 to identify a given heat signature in real time for dynamicadjustment of a heat signature based projected image. In anotherembodiment, a sensor array can be installed inside the hotplate andconnected to a feedback loop of the PID controller.

A given light image projected onto a substrate can be based on intensity(greyscale) and/or frequency (on and off). Available DLP mirrors can beswitched on and off up to ten thousand times per second with over onethousand shades of grey. FIG. 8 illustrates how grey scale and frequencybased light projection can be used to achieve a desired change intemperature at point locations on a substrate. Note that a temperaturechange potential is dependent on output or intensity of a given lightsource. With no light projected on a given spot there will be no changein surface temperature. With full light projected on the given spotthere will be an increase in temperature that is 100% of the possibletemperature change available based on a given lamp intensity and basedon type of material being heated. A temperature change between 0% and100% will typically be proportional to a grey scale intensity.Frequency-based light projection can cycle projection of full lightintensity projection and no light projection. The shorter the intervalbetween light projection on a given spot, the more a corresponding localtemperature can be increased.

If finer control of light/heat projection is desired, then greyscaleprojection can be combined with frequency-based projection. For example,some conventional DLP chips can run at 1,700 Hz with 1,024 shades ofgrey. By combining greyscale and frequency-based projection, a total of1,739,776 output levels per second can be produced.

Projecting a heat-signature based image onto a substrate positioned on ahotplate is just one embodiment of systems and methods herein. There aremany additional applications and embodiments for treating substrates atvarious stages of semiconductor fabrication. Thus, applications are notlimited to lithography. In another embodiment, the projected light-heattechnique can be used during coating of a substrate (coating, forexample, with a photo resist). Projecting an image onto a spinningsubstrate during coating of a liquid can help mitigate the evaporativecooling impact. The benefit is a lower dispense volume is needed whileproviding better coat uniformity. If there are non-transparent objectsin a spin chamber that obstruct light projection, then light can atleast be projected on a segment of the substrate, which would beessentially frequency-based projection because of the rotation of thesubstrate (this is for embodiments in which only a radial segment can beilluminated at a given point in time).

In other embodiments, light image projection can be used for both postapplication bake (PAB) and post exposure bake (PEB). Light imageprojection can be used for complex edge bead removal (EBR) clear outs—anarea can be “drawn” or projected for edge bead removal. Light imageprojection can be used to define areas for directed self-assembly ofblock copolymers as a way to print an array. That is, exposure can beboosted sufficiently to where directed self-assembly (DSA) can print inan array, while remaining areas are not exposed so that the blockcopolymers will self-assemble without using a cut mask, which saves aprocess step in some microfabrication processes.

Embodiments can be used herein with wet or dry substrate cleaningsystems. With wet cleaning systems, the projected light image can assistwith center-to-edge temperature uniformity. In some processes in which aliquid is dispensed on a spinning substrate, a thickness of a film isgreater toward the center of a substrate as compared to the edge.Techniques herein, however, can help even radial temperature uniformity.Depending on a location of dispense nozzles and dispense arms, an imagethat is projected in a dispense chamber may be essentially a partialimage (e.g. pie-shaped image). Projecting onto only a portion of asubstrate can nevertheless be effective especially with a spinningsubstrate because all of the surface can be irradiated or pass through aprojected image. Projecting an image using UV light can further assistwith reactivity of chemicals to improve radial reactivity of suchchemicals as a spatial light augmentation technique that can becombined, for example, with a UV lamp directly providing most of theirradiation. Note that for UV light augmentation and projection, opticsshould be selected that enable UV transmission, such as quartz, calciumfluoride, or other transparent conducting media.

As should be apparent, there are many and various embodiments forsystems and methods disclosed herein.

One embodiment includes a method of treating a substrate. This methodincludes positioning a substrate on a substrate holder. Positioning asubstrate can include receiving the substrate in a module of asemiconductor fabrication tool. This semiconductor fabrication tool caninclude at least on module that dispenses photoresist on substrate. Suchfabrication tools can include substrate handling mechanisms forautomated moving of substrates among processing modules. Light is thenprojected onto a surface of the substrate via a grid-based lightprojection system configured to vary amplitude of projected light bylocation. Typical photolithographic light exposure is executed using amask or reticle which blocks a portion of light so that a pattern oflight reaches the substrate surface. In contrast, a grid-based lightprojection system projects light as an array or matrix of points, inwhich each projected point can be switched on or off and/or varied infrequency or amplitude. Projected light is then varied by amplitude onthe surface of the substrate by location on the substrate with thevariation being based a substrate signature. Projecting light onto thesurface of the substrate can include projecting an image onto thesubstrate via a digital light processing (DLP) device. A particularprojected image can be based on a predetermined energy signaturecorresponding to the substrate. Such an energy signature can includeheat signature, light reflection signature, surface energy, x-rays,microwaves, etc. The image generated can be based on a predeterminedcritical dimension (CD) signature corresponding to the substrate, or apredetermined lithographic exposure signature corresponding to thesubstrate, which can be a result of raster delay or flare. Suchsignatures can compensate for raster scan/exposure delay and extremeultraviolet (EUV) flare.

Treating the substrate can include heating the substrate using a heatsource located below a top surface of the substrate, such as by using ahotplate. Thus, positioning the substrate can include receiving thesubstrate on a hotplate of a bake module of a semiconductor fabricationtool, which can be configured to bake resist material coated on thesubstrate and can also include conventional gas flow and exhaustingcomponents. A spatial heat signature of the surface of the substrate canthen be identified using a thermal imaging device such as an infraredcamera. A temperature-correction image is then calculated based on theheat signature. The temperature-correction image is then projected ontothe surface of the substrate such that the temperature-correction imagedecreases an average temperature differential across the surface of thesubstrate. Accordingly, heating uniformity is significantly improved.The spatial heat signature can have spatial temperatures that vary fromeach other by up to approximately 0.1 degrees Celsius or more.Projecting the image onto the surface then causes the surfacetemperature variation to lower to less than about 0.02 degrees Celsiusin difference. In alternative embodiments, treating the substrate caninclude identifying a spatial variation of a substrate property on thesurface of the substrate, and then calculating a pixel-based image basedon the identified spatial variation. Note that a given substratesignature can be identified from previous substrates having beenprocessed by a particular tool, set of tools, and/or process sequence.In other words, substrate signatures can be calculated in real time fora substrate being processed, or calculated/observed from a repeatingpattern of signatures for a given microfabrication process. Such arepeating pattern can be due to artifacts of a particular tool and/ormaterial used. Substrate properties can include optical properties,electrical properties, mechanical properties, structure height, filmthickness, temperature, etc.

In some embodiments, the digital light processing device is configuredto project an image of independently addressable pixels onto the surfaceof the substrate. The digital light processing device can be configuredto vary a light intensity of each independently addressable pixel. Lightintensity can be varied by a DLP chip and/or light source. Some methodscan include cooling a substrate using a heat sink located below a topsurface of the substrate.

Another embodiment includes a method of treating a substrate. Asubstrate is positioned on a substrate holder within a processingchamber. A pixel-based image is projected onto a surface of thesubstrate via a digitally-controlled, micro-mirror projection device,with the pixel-based image being generated based on a substratesignature. The substrate can included a layer having photo-reactiveagents such that the projected pixel-based image causes thephoto-reactive agents to chemically react to the pixel-based image basedon amplitude and/or wavelength of projected light at given pointlocations on the substrate. In other words, a pattern of projected lightcan assist with causing photo-reactive agents to generate acids, bases,or other solubility shifting materials. The substrate signature cancorrespond to a predetermined heat signature of temperatures on thesubstrate surface. Projecting the pixel-based image can include varyinglight intensity, duration, and wavelength by each projected pixel.

In another embodiment, a method of treating a substrate includespositioning a substrate on a substrate holder of a semiconductorfabrication tool. Heating the substrate on the substrate holder using aheating mechanism located within the substrate holder, and spatiallyadjusting a surface temperature of the substrate by projecting apixel-based image onto the substrate using a digitally-controlledmicro-mirror projection device. The pixel-based image varies lightamplitude by individually addressable pixels, and the projectedpixel-based image is based on a heat signature of the substrate.

Another embodiment includes a system or apparatus for treatingsubstrates. This system includes a chamber sized and configured toreceive a substrate for processing. A substrate holder is positionedwithin the chamber and configured to hold the substrate. The systemincludes an image projection system configured to project an image ontoan upper surface (that is, a surface being processed) of the substratewhen the substrate is in the chamber. The image projection system uses amicro-mirror projection device to project the image. A micro-mirrordevice can include a device with an array of microscopic mirrorscorresponding to pixels in an image to be projected. The system includesa controller configured to control the image projection system and causethe image projection system to project a pixel-based image onto theupper surface of the substrate. The image projection system includes alight source and can use a pixel-based projection system. Each projectedpixel can be varied by a parameter selected from the group consisting oflight wavelength, light intensity, light frequency, and light amplitude.The image projection system can be configured to project an image basedon a predetermined substrate signature, which can be a pixel-basedrepresentation of varying surface properties (heat, exposure dosages,critical dimension variations).

The processing system can also include a thermal imaging systempositioned in view of the upper surface (surface being processed) of thesubstrate and configured to capture a pixel-based heat signature of thesubstrate. The image projection system can use a digital lightprocessing (DLP) device or grating light valve (GLV) device to projectthe image onto the upper surface of the substrate. The system caninclude a dispense system configured to dispense liquid compositions onthe surface of the substrate in a same processing chamber. The chambercan be positioned within a semiconductor fabrication tool that includesat least one module that dispenses liquid on a spinning substrate, andincludes at least one module with a heating mechanism for heating asubstrate. Such tools are sometimes known as coaters/developers. Inanother embodiment, the chamber is positioned within a semiconductorfabrication tool that includes at least one module configured todispense photoresist on a substrate, at least one module configured todispense developing chemicals on a substrate, and at least one moduleconfigured to bake a substrate. Other systems can be embodied as ascanner/stepper tool that includes a micro-mirror projection system orpixel-based projection system. Such an embodiment can be configured witha processing chamber being a separate module from a lithographicexposure stack, or located to project an image on a substrate surfaceduring lithographic exposure.

Another embodiment includes a processing system for treating substrates.This processing system comprises a chamber sized and configured toreceive a substrate for processing, and a hotplate positioned within thechamber. The hotplate comprises an upper surface configured to support asubstrate and to transfer heat to the substrate. A gas injection systemis configured for exposing the upper surface of the hotplate and/orsubstrate to an inert gas stream. A heater is configured for heating thehotplate. An image projection system is configured to project an imageonto an upper surface of the substrate, the image projection systemincludes a micro-mirror projection device. The system also can include acontroller configured for monitoring a temperature of the hotplate,controlling the gas injection system, controlling the heater, andcontrolling the image projection system. The image projection system canuse a pixel-based projection system, and can include a light source.Each projected pixel can be varied in at least one of light intensity,light frequency, and light amplitude. A given image can be projected asa grid of points of light. Intensity of each projected pixel can bebased on a spatial heat signature of the substrate. In some embodiments,the image projection system uses a digital light processing (DLP) deviceor a grating light valve (GLV) device to project the image onto theupper surface of the substrate. Optionally, a thermal imaging system canbe positioned in view of the upper surface of the substrate andconfigured to identify a grid-based temperature of the substrate.Hotplates can include multiple heating zones for backside heating of thesubstrate. The image projection system can include a light filtrationsystem configured to exclude specific wavelengths of light from beingprojected onto the upper surface of the substrate.

In another embodiment, the processing system includes a chamber sizedand configured to receive a substrate for processing, a cold-platecomprising an upper surface configured to support a substrate and toremove heat from the substrate. A heat sink is configured for coolingthe cold-plate, and an image projection system is configured to projectan image onto an upper surface of the substrate. The image projectionsystem includes a micro-mirror projection device. A controller isconfigured for monitoring a temperature of the cold-plate, controllingthe heat sink, and controlling the image projection system.

Another embodiment includes receiving a substrate having a film usedwith directed self-assembly of block copolymers. An image is projectedonto the substrate film using digital light projection such that theimage modifies the film according to a spatially-projected image. A filmof block copolymers is applied, and self-assembly is activated orinitiated such that copolymers assemble into a pattern based on thespatially-projected (pixel-based) image.

In the preceding description, specific details have been set forth, suchas a particular geometry of a processing system and descriptions ofvarious components and processes used therein. It should be understood,however, that techniques herein may be practiced in other embodimentsthat depart from these specific details, and that such details are forpurposes of explanation and not limitation. Embodiments disclosed hereinhave been described with reference to the accompanying drawings.Similarly, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials, andconfigurations have been set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding. Nevertheless, embodiments may be practiced without suchspecific details. Components having substantially the same functionalconstructions are denoted by like reference characters, and thus anyredundant descriptions may be omitted.

Various techniques have been described as multiple discrete operationsto assist in understanding the various embodiments. The order ofdescription should not be construed as to imply that these operationsare necessarily order dependent. Indeed, these operations need not beperformed in the order of presentation. Operations described may beperformed in a different order than the described embodiment. Variousadditional operations may be performed and/or described operations maybe omitted in additional embodiments.

“Substrate” or “target substrate” as used herein generically refers toan object being processed in accordance with the invention. Thesubstrate may include any material portion or structure of a device,particularly a semiconductor or other electronics device, and may, forexample, be a base substrate structure, such as a semiconductor wafer,reticle, or a layer on or overlying a base substrate structure such as athin film. Thus, substrate is not limited to any particular basestructure, underlying layer or overlying layer, patterned orun-patterned, but rather, is contemplated to include any such layer orbase structure, and any combination of layers and/or base structures.The description may reference particular types of substrates, but thisis for illustrative purposes only.

Those skilled in the art will also understand that there can be manyvariations made to the operations of the techniques explained abovewhile still achieving the same objectives of the invention. Suchvariations are intended to be covered by the scope of this disclosure.As such, the foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the invention arenot intended to be limiting. Rather, any limitations to embodiments ofthe invention are presented in the following claims.

1. A processing system for treating substrates, the processing systemcomprising: a chamber sized and configured to receive a substrate forprocessing; a substrate holder positioned within the chamber andconfigured to hold the substrate; an image projection system configuredto project an image onto an upper surface of the substrate when thesubstrate is in the chamber, the image projection system using amicro-mirror projection device to project the image; and a controllerconfigured to control the image projection system and cause the imageprojection system to project a pixel-based image onto the upper surfaceof the substrate.
 2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the imageprojection system includes a light source.
 3. The processing system ofclaim 1, wherein the image projection system uses a pixel-basedprojection system.
 4. The processing system of claim 3, wherein eachprojected pixel can be varied by a parameter selected from the groupconsisting of light intensity, light frequency, and light amplitude. 5.The processing system of claim 3, wherein the image projection system isconfigured to project an image based on a predetermined substratesignature.
 6. The processing system of claim 5, further comprising: athermal imaging system positioned in view of the upper surface of thesubstrate and configured to capture a pixel-based heat signature of thesubstrate.
 7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the imageprojection system uses a digital light processing (DLP) device orgrating light valve (GLV) device to project the image onto the uppersurface of the substrate.
 8. The processing system of claim 1, furthercomprising a dispense system configured to dispense liquid compositionson the surface of the substrate.
 9. The processing system of claim 1,wherein the chamber is positioned within a semiconductor fabricationtool that includes at least one module that dispenses liquid on aspinning substrate, and includes at least one module with a heatingmechanism for heating a substrate.
 10. The processing system of claim 1,wherein the chamber is positioned within a semiconductor fabricationtool that includes: at least one module configured to dispensephotoresist on a substrate; at least one module configured to dispensedeveloping chemicals on a substrate; and at least one module configuredto bake a substrate.
 11. A processing system for treating substrates,the processing system comprising: a chamber sized and configured toreceive a substrate for processing; a hotplate positioned within thechamber, the hotplate comprising an upper surface configured to supporta substrate and to transfer heat to the substrate; a gas injectionsystem configured for exposing the upper surface of the hotplate to aninert gas stream; a heater configured for heating the hotplate; an imageprojection system configured to project an image onto an upper surfaceof the substrate, the image projection system including a micro-mirrorprojection device; and a controller configured for monitoring atemperature of the hotplate, controlling the gas injection system,controlling the heater, and controlling the image projection system. 12.The processing system of claim 11, wherein the image projection systemuses a pixel-based projection system, and wherein the image projectionsystem includes a light source.
 13. The processing system of claim 12,wherein each projected pixel can be varied in at least one of lightintensity, light frequency, and light amplitude.
 14. The processingsystem of claim 12, wherein the image projection system projects animage as a grid of points of light.
 15. The processing system of claim12, wherein each projected pixel intensity is based on a spatial heatsignature of the substrate.
 16. The processing system of claim 11,wherein the image projection system uses a digital light processing(DLP) device or a grating light valve (GLV) device to project the imageonto the upper surface of the substrate.
 17. The processing system ofclaim 11, further comprising: a thermal imaging system positioned inview of the upper surface of the substrate and configured to identify agrid-based temperature of the substrate.
 18. The processing system ofclaim 11, wherein the hotplate includes multiple heating zones forbackside heating of the substrate.
 19. The processing system of claim11, wherein the image projection system includes a light filtrationsystem configured to exclude specific wavelengths of light from beingprojected onto the upper surface of the substrate.
 20. A processingsystem for treating substrates, the processing system comprising: achamber sized and configured to receive a substrate for processing; acold-plate comprising an upper surface configured to support a substrateand to remove heat from the substrate; a heat sink configured forcooling the cold-plate; an image projection system configured to projectan image onto an upper surface of the substrate, the image projectionsystem including a micro-mirror projection device; and a controllerconfigured for monitoring a temperature of the cold-plate, controllingthe heat sink, and controlling the image projection system.